Every Major German Rifle Used in WWII Cost How Much?

This video provides a comprehensive visual and cost analysis of major German rifles and light machine guns used during WWII. We examine iconic firearms like the Karabiner 98K, Germany's backbone infantry rifle, detailing its manufacturing cost in 2025 dollars based on historical sources. The video also showcases other significant wwii weapons such as the MP 40, StG 44, and MG 42, presenting their approximate production expenses and their place in military history.

SOURCES & DISCLAIMER
Primary Sources: Mauser-Werke production records, Axis History Forum weapons database, Gun Mart manufacturing analysis, D-Day Overlord archives, War History Online, World War II Database, Rock Island Auction research, and Modern Firearms technical analysis. Inflation Methodology: All 1940-1944 prices converted to 2025 dollars using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI data with 2.5 Reichsmarks = $1 USD exchange rate. Production midpoint calculated by identifying the first and final production years, with inflation applied from that midpoint year to 2025. Important Disclaimer: These figures represent approximations based on available historical documentation; actual costs varied significantly by factory location, production year, material availability, accounting methods, labor quality, contract negotiations, war damage, and use of forced labor. Some weapons—particularly the FG 42—remain partially documented due to wartime record destruction and varying German accounting practices across facilities. These values should be treated as educated estimates rather than exact historical records. Military-specific inflation rates may have differed from civilian averages used in this analysis.